Birds of Newhaven
What has actually been seen around Newhaven: 216 species, the most recorded garden birds, the busiest months, and what to put out for them.
- Species on record
- 216 within 5 km
- Observation records
- 45,747 since 2010
- Most recorded bird
- European Herring Gull
- Busiest month
- January
- Elevation
- 2 m
- Daylight, June / December
- 16.5 h / 7.9 h
What the records say about Newhaven
216 bird species have been recorded within 5 km of the centre of Newhaven (East Sussex) since 2010, across 45,747 public observation records shared through GBIF. The most recorded are European Herring Gull, Woodpigeon and Carrion Crow.
Newhaven is a garden-bird place: 74% of the records here are small songbirds, doves, woodpeckers and the other birds that come to feeders and garden trees. Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow and Blackbird make up the core of what you can expect at a feeder.
16 birds of prey are on record nearby, including Common Kestrel, Common Buzzard and Eurasian Sparrowhawk. A hawk that hunts feeder birds is among them, so set feeders 2–3 metres from shrubs: close enough for cover, far enough that a cat can't ambush from it.
Records peak in January and are lowest in August — about 3.8 times as many in the busiest month. Part of that is birds (migrants and winter visitors), part is people: more birders are out in good weather, so treat the curve as activity, not a census.
Seaford, 4 km to the south-east, has more species on record (257 against 216).
Daylight runs from 16 h 31 min at midsummer to 7 h 57 min at midwinter here. Sunrise is about 6:07 in mid-April and 4:45 in late June; the dawn chorus starts 30–60 minutes earlier.
Most recorded birds near Newhaven
| # | Bird | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | European Herring GullLarus argentatus | 2,192 |
| 2 | WoodpigeonColumba palumbus | 1,967 |
| 3 | Carrion CrowCorvus corone | 1,962 |
| 4 | House SparrowPasser domesticus | 1,694 |
| 5 | BlackbirdTurdus merula | 1,656 |
| 6 | RobinErithacus rubecula | 1,653 |
| 7 | MagpiePica pica | 1,635 |
| 8 | StarlingSturnus vulgaris | 1,529 |
| 9 | JackdawColoeus monedula | 1,469 |
| 10 | GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis | 1,431 |
| 11 | DunnockPrunella modularis | 1,386 |
| 12 | Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus | 1,313 |
| 13 | WrenTroglodytes troglodytes | 1,220 |
| 14 | Great TitParus major | 1,164 |
| 15 | Rock PigeonColumba livia | 1,135 |
| 16 | Collared DoveStreptopelia decaocto | 1,029 |
| 17 | ChaffinchFringilla coelebs | 981 |
| 18 | GreenfinchChloris chloris | 787 |
| 19 | Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus | 778 |
| 20 | Song ThrushTurdus philomelos | 740 |
Records by month
What to put out in Newhaven
Foods for the most recorded garden birds here, from our species notes.
- Woodpigeon
Seed mix
- House Sparrow
Seed mix · Sunflower hearts · Suet
- Blackbird
Soaked sultanas · Apples · Mealworms
- Robin
Mealworms · Suet pellets · Sunflower hearts
- Starling
Suet · Mealworms
- Jackdaw
Suet · Kitchen scraps
Seasonal bird notes for East Sussex
What's arriving, what to feed and when to clean feeders, written for UK gardens. One email a month at most.
Nearby places
Frequently asked
What birds visit gardens in Newhaven?
The most recorded garden birds within 5 km of Newhaven are Woodpigeon, Carrion Crow, House Sparrow, Blackbird and Robin, based on 45,747 public records since 2010.
How many bird species have been seen near Newhaven?
216 species have at least one record within 5 km of the town centre since 2010 (GBIF).
When is the best month for birds in Newhaven?
Observation records peak in January and are lowest in August. Sunrise in late June is around 4:45.
Sources
- GBIF occurrence search (birds, class Aves, 2010 onward)
- GeoNames gazetteer (place, population, elevation)
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.